It is known to join together sheet metal components of different design but with equal sheet thickness, by welding. With a first sheet metal component of cup-shaped design and a second, disk-shaped sheet metal component, the weld connection can be formed in various possible ways, for example with a radial weld seam that extends in the radial direction or with an axial weld seam that extends in the axial direction. Known welding methods for such joints are laser beam welding, electron beam welding or condenser-discharge welding. In each case the length and depth of the weld seam determine the size of the forces that can be transferred. And the depth of the weld seam depends on the sheet metal thickness, i.e. the weld seam cannot be longer than the thickness of the sheet.
Welded components of this type are for example planetary wheel carriers, also called planetary carriers for short, as used in rotary or planetary transmissions. In these a first sheet metal component in the form of a web is joined to a second sheet metal component in the form of a guide disk.
From DE 35 42 622 A1 a welded planetary carrier for a motor vehicle transmission is known, the web and the guide disk being connected to one another by condenser-discharge welding. In this case the joint is formed as a fillet weld.
From DE 103 61 701 B4 a planetary carrier for an automatic transmission is known, the parts of the planetary carrier being connected to one another by brazing.
From DE 26 05 227 A by the present applicant a planetary carrier is known, in which the two parts of the planetary carrier, namely two side-disks with web attachments, are joined to one another by a circular weld seam arranged centrally in relation to an axial direction. By positioning the weld seam toward the middle of the webs, the weld sites are located in a zone of lower stresses, i.e. the weld joint can withstand higher loads.
From DE 199 12 719 A1 a planetary carrier consisting of two carrier disks with web sections is known, the two carrier disks being connected to one another by a weld seam in the axially central area of the webs, i.e. in an area of lower loading. The weld seam is formed as a radial weld seam and its radial extension corresponds to the wall thickness of the web sections in contact with one another.